A potentially disappointing update for Daywalker fans here, as Marvel Studios' long-awaited Blade reboot is now said to be on indefinite hold...
via: CB
The latest rumors about the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Blade reboot indicate the movie might be scrapped. However, there are still plans in place for Mahershala Ali to play the character in the franchise. On Twitter, user @YrOnlyHope shared what they have heard about Blade, relaying that speculation about John Wick director Chad Stahelski coming onboard is “incorrect.” As it stands now, “the creative direction of Blade has totally shifted” and the project has been put on ice. This doesn’t mean Blade will never happen; @YrOnlyHope brought up the delayed Nova TV series (which Marvel is no longer actively working on) as a point of comparison. They say that similar to how development on Nova could eventually resume, Blade could be revived down the line.
Blade being cancelled doesn’t mean that Marvel is doing away with Ali, however. @YrOnlyHope says Marvel will look to introduce Blade in a different project, listing the rumored Midnight Sons or Avengers: Secret Wars as possibilities. They also mentioned the idea of giving Blade a supporting role in a film, citing Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Check out the Twitter thread below:
Blade was announced back in 2019 at Marvel’s San Diego Comic-Con panel and has been stuck in development hell ever since. The project has passed through numerous directors and writers, a sign that Marvel has had a tough time figuring out the story. Blade has been pulled from Disney’s release schedule, and its status has been a point of frustration for many fans. Even Michael B. Jordan is tired of waiting to see if Blade can get off the ground.
Through all the ups and downs, Ali has remained attached to Blade but has never appeared on-screen as the character. He made a voiceover cameo in a post-credits scene in Eternals. In the meantime, Wesley Snipes reprised his version of Blade in a well-received supporting turn in last summer’s Deadpool & Wolverine. His return was so effective, some fans have started to wonder if Snipes should just remain in the MCU.
Seeing that Snipes headlined a Blade film trilogy from the late ’90s to the mid-2000s, it’s baffling that Marvel Studios has had so much trouble with this reboot. Building a sleek action film around an actor as talented as Ali seems like it would be relatively easy to figure out. Should this rumor prove true and Blade is indeed cancelled, it would be an extremely disappointing end to this story after years of hype and anticipation. While it’s upsetting Ali may not get to star in his own film, fans can at least take solace in the knowledge that Marvel isn’t going to completely discard him. Getting a supporting role in another character’s film could be the best thing to happen to the MCU’s Blade. If Ali’s iteration emerges as a fan favorite a la Black Panther or Spider-Man (both of whom made their MCU debuts in Captain America: Civil War), it could provide a foundation for Blade to be revived. As disheartening as it is Blade is being scrapped (for now), it would be even worse if the character wasn’t part of the MCU at all.
There doesn’t appear to be a natural spot for Blade in the rest of the Multiverse Saga, so fans will likely have to wait until after Avengers: Secret Wars before the character makes his debut. As Marvel builds up to the showdown against Doctor Doom, it has a full plate balancing a plethora of characters set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, so there just isn’t time to work Blade into the fold as well. He’s a character who deserves to be properly established by getting the spotlight in a movie (whether he’s the lead or supporting) and hopefully his arrival will be worth the wait.
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I would personally love to see Chad Stahelski direct a Blade movie, but I knew his attachment was a rumor because he's got a lot of films already on his plate. He's set to direct a reboot of Highlander with Henry Cavill attached to star, and it was recently announced that John Wick 5 is in development.
As for the future of Blade, I hope he makes an appearance in Secret Wars, but at this point Mahershala needs to walk away from this doomed franchise, and Marvel needs to recast a younger actor, because by the time we get a Blade movie off the ground, Mahershala will be eligible for AARP.
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